"Health Tourists take precedence over British Patients !

Hi everyone, just finished reading the DM letters page which I really enjoy reading every day as some of the letters are so interesting. Two letters that I have come across are so true to form to what I have been spouting on about for years. I agree wholeheartedly with them.

Please judge for yourself whether you disagree with the letter writers or whether like me,you agree with them and it makes you want to spit feathers at the sheer injustice of it all.

LETTER NUMBER 1.

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I’m disgusted to discover that British patients are being betrayed by the NHS and “health tourists” get priority.
I had a cataract operation on one eye after waiting some time for an appointment, then had to have the other eye operated on as it was becoming very difficult to see properly (and safely).
But when I went for my second op, I was told that the NHS wouldn’t operate on the second eye ”wasn’t bad enough to warrant an operation”.

My sight was deteriorating badly, but apparently that made no difference to the hospital.
I was so distraught that I paid to have the operation done privately (and fortunately, had the funds to do so).
I had to pay up front and the cataract was then removed with no problem, thank goodness.

How is it that foreigners don’t have to pay before having their operations? I had to - but I’m British and don’t count. If the NHS is going to refuse treatment to British subjects after they’ve paid for the NHS in their taxes, it’s time the NHS was overhauled and run by medical experts, not fatcats - or abolished.

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LETTER NUMBER 2

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Some years ago, my mother-in-law broke her elbow on holiday in America, She was quickly taken to an emergency department of a local hospital.
After various tests and x-rays, among the people who came to talk about her injuries was a young woman who explained what the cost of the treatment would be and asked how she was going to pay for it.

Travel insurance documents were produced, but while the claim procedure was going through - and before the Insurance company confirmed payment would be made (which it quickly was)
My mother-in-law had to use her credit card. The alternative would have been to give her pain relief and then discharge her.

Doctors often say their job is to treat the injured and the sick and not to pursue payment for treatment, but it doesn’t stop hospitals other than British hospitals and surgeries employing people to do just that.

With millions of pounds being lost each year, these financial appointments would quickly pay for themselves.

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Maybe it’s time the NHS fat cats and the lazy slobs who think it is beneath them to collect monies owed to thr British taxpayers - should be brought to account and reminded just who it is that pays their wages, they should also be reminded that the NHS is not a bottomless purse and that an immediate payment scheme is going to be put in place for payment from all except those entitled to free NHS treatment. Its totally wrong that the NHS could but won't start paying for itself and is forever holding out its palms for ever more money !!
How galling and upsetting for those refused eye treatment to find out that health tourists are having the operations and no payment required !! What an insult to the British citizen
Yours views please.

Re: "Health Tourists take precedence over British Patients !

I think it's time NHS did collect money from them SG I am told there is no way for NHS to process payments but I find that hard to believe and it shouldn't be so. Friends of ours involved in a car crash certainly got a bill, their insurance paid it. So if the will is there they can.

Re: "Health Tourists take precedence over British Patients !

Sorry Shropshiregirl, it's a good post but I can't even bring myself to talk about it as this sort of thing makes me sooooooo angry. I mean WTF?

No doubt someone will be along soon to condone it though.

Re: "Health Tourists take precedence over British Patients !

I know just how both you and Julie feel, as I am sure most right-minded British people would feel about such a travesty,
Bloody angry !!.

I do hope that now Theresa May is Prime Minister and whomever she picks as her Health Minister, treat this as the utmost priority when she is"getting the house in order"".
It can't and certainly shouldn't be allowed to continue a minute longer. Just think how many hundreds of millions of pounds we have lost simply because those running the NHS refuse to collect payment from Health Tourists.
They should be sacked immediately, morons !!

Re: "Health Tourists take precedence over British Patients !

Re: "Health Tourists take precedence over British Patients !

Too true !

Re: "Health Tourists take precedence over British Patients !

I can guarantee health tourist do not take priority over NHS patient's. They have private health insurance. It has long been known if you have private health care you jump the list even in NHS.

Many British women seek breast augmentation, botox, thigh reduction in other counties so in turn queue jump.

My view I think private medicine should stay in private hospitals. Many patients are surprised but if BUPA is full patients spill over into NHS hospitals.

I think tummy tucks and obese reduction surgery has no place in an NHS hospital as carried out as the norm.

Re: "Health Tourists take precedence over British Patients !

I've always said anyone coming into our country from abroad should pay for health insurance like we do when we travel outside our country . We wouldn't travel abroad without it would we , and it can cost a fortune for us to be covered . Yet , anyone can come here , and go into hospital with an emergency and be taken in immediately , meaning those waiting for beds or ops or treatment get pushed down the line .

Makes me very angry .

Re: "Health Tourists take precedence over British Patients !

I still think of that b.....dy pregnant woman from Nigeria who hopped on a plane to London and booked herself in to give birth to her 5 or was it 6 babies. As you can imagine, it cost 4 figures to look after her and when she was ready she flew back home to her rich husband with her babies. She was billed for the care she received but guess what, she refused to pay!! what did they do? just wrote it off....... words fail me.

Re: "Health Tourists take precedence over British Patients !

Would agree with you there GL, Consultants have been known to do private work in NHS operating theatres which is absolutely disgraceful. hey ho, par for the course.